University of Colorado Regent Tillie Bishop acknowledges those who gathered today in Grand Junction to honor his years of public service.

The Grand Junction Lions Club today honored Tillie Bishop for his years of public service to Colorado and especially the Western Slope.

Bishop is a former state lawmaker and Mesa County commissioner who now serves on the University of Colorado Board of Regents. CU President Bruce Benson and other university officials traveled to Grand Junction for the celebration, which was attended by more than 250 people.

“Tillie is a beloved figure over there and, frankly, most places he’s ever been,” Benson said. “He’s a common-sense conservative. He does what’s right.”

Regent Stephen Ludwig read a proclamation from Gov. John Hickenlooper that said:

• Tilman “Tillie” Bishop has given 38 years of distinguished service to the people the state of Colorado.

• Bishop’s service to Colorado’s Western Slope has been particularly noteworthy; he represented the region with distinction in the Colorado legislature and on the University of Colorado Board of Regents.

• Bishop was elected to the Colorado House of Representatives in 1970; he served two terms for a total of four years in the Colorado House of Representatives and six terms, or 24 years, in the Colorado Senate, the final six years as president pro tem;

• His 28 years of service in the General Assembly rank him fourth in Colorado history for continuous service, and he is the longest-serving state senator from the Western Slope;

• Bishop, a Colorado native, has supported education in this state for decades, having taught in Colorado public schools for seven years and serving as a Colorado Mesa University (formerly Mesa State College) administrator for 31 years;

• Bishop served four years as a Mesa County Commissioner. He has been an important advocate for the Western Slope, its lands and its businesses, prompting the Grand Junction City Council last year to designate June 15 as “Tillie Bishop Day.”

• Bishop in 2006 was elected to the CU Board of Regents representing the 3rd Congressional District. As a CU regent, Bishop, a Republican, has been a nonpartisan voice of reason, thoughtfully embracing the challenges faced by the University of Colorado and public higher education;

Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.